


I always trusted you

by SmolKisses



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: But he's also super soft, But she's recovering, Donna has past trauma, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Light Angst, Like the badass she is, Ten is a tease, Ten wants to kiss it better, smut in later chapters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 16:01:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22329766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmolKisses/pseuds/SmolKisses
Summary: The Doctor tries to win Donna over with his seduction skills, falls head over heels for her in the process, oversteps boundaries, and comforts her. Donna wants to get over past trauma by facing fear head on, and offers a proposition. He's totally on board.
Relationships: Tenth Doctor/Donna Noble
Comments: 7
Kudos: 67





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So when I first started this I was just trying to make more happy Ten/Donna smut because that's how we do but when I hit a block and started back on it it kind of took a turn. Am trying to give it a fluffy ending though so I can get my fix. Let me know if things are OOC or if I should call it a bust and whatnot.

It had started off innocent enough. 

The Doctor had “accidentally” gotten himself engaged  _ yet  _ again, and all Donna had to do was walk in to put a stop to the whole ordeal because the whole bloody universe was convinced they were bloody soulmates or something, and because the locals never take kindly to the impromptu wedding being interrupted, The Doctor and Donna were hightailing it back to the TARDIS.

“Why can’t you just stop getting married!?” She shouted at him with what little breath she had.

“How was I supposed to know that ruffling your hair is a come-on on this planet?!” 

“I don’t know, because you’re the bloody Doctor and you apparently know everything!” She huffed. 

He slammed the TARDIS doors shut firmly. “I swear, Donna, it’s not like I go out looking for things like this.” 

She paused to catch her breath. “What is it, then? Because it’s not like you’re some supermodel of an alien or anything. Unless they really admire skinny blokes with flapping tongues on this planet.”

He pouted. “I’ll have you know, I am  _ quite  _ attractive.” 

“And humble too.” 

“You know, I really think you should apologize for that last remark.”

“But if it’s not your looks, and it’s not your speech, and it can’t be those gangly legs dancing about, then  _ why does this always happen to you _ ?” She saw the frown on his face. “Oi, come off it, I’m just frustrated. You’ve got less game than most men I know, and I’ve known some bottom-barrel men.” 

_ Okay, that one hurt a little more. _ “Donna, why are you flabbergasted that someone might actually find me desirable?” 

She could see that she had wounded him more than anticipated, and attempted to backtrack. “Well, I just -- most hot blokes seek out the company of equally attractive women, and you’re friends with me.” 

He rushed across the console room to silence her. “None of that, none of that, not after we’ve just escaped with our lives. You’re my best friend, Donna Noble, and in addition to being brilliant and fun, you are also rather…”

She raised an eyebrow.

“Attractive. You are attractive.”  _ That should be safe, right? _

“What happened to ‘just mates, no funny business’?”

“Look, Donna, a mate can’t compliment an objective fact? Is that against the rules?”

She swatted his arm as she blushed. “Well thanks, Time boy. Sorry for what I said earlier.” 

“So are you admitting I’m attractive?” He waggled his eyebrows.

“Oi!” 

“Come on, Donna. The TARDIS is a safe place…” he let the sentence wander away from him to save him from another slap. 

“Look, even if I found you ever so slightly attractive, you wouldn’t ever notice.” He had the brass to pout yet again. “Why do you think poor Martha left? You’re just a bloke, and blokes are oblivious.” 

He leveled a rather heated gaze at her. “I’ll have you know, dear Donna, that I am more than capable of the art of seduction.” 

Her laugh was enormous, a throaty bark that clawed its way up from her gut. “I’ll bet you anything you aren’t.” 

“Game on.”

Her eyebrows knitted together. “I’m sorry, wot?”

“You heard me.” He winked.  _ He bloody winked _ .


	2. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The game is afoot! But it goes awry!

Donna found that it had been getting increasingly hard *ahem* difficult to concentrate when Spaceman developed a tendency to ghost his fingers over the nape of her neck and whisper phrases from erotic poetry in her ears at the most inopportune times. They could be getting a lecture from the queen of the Arra’braxzen and he’d start gently rubbing circles on the palm of her hand or listening to Torchwood updates from Jack on the monitor and he’d start numbering off her vertebral column, Jack none the wiser. He didn’t manage to draw a shudder from her until the time when she was standing over the console and he snuck up behind her, nuzzling the nape of her neck and ghosting his hands over her hips. 

“Hello, Donna” he purred. 

She seemed to be caught somewhere between an eye roll and a giggle. “What is it you want now?”

“Can’t a mate say hello?” His hands floated over her torso, the electricity between their bodies buzzing but never connecting. 

“Somehow I have a hunch that you’re doing a little more than that,” she trailed off, not daring to move an inch. 

“What would have given you that idea?” He quipped cheekily as hot breath hit the back of her neck. He ran his fingers up her back and briefly squeezed her shoulders before jumping off to the other side of the console, gleam in his eyes. 

Donna groaned. “Where to, then?”

He winked.  _ Again _ . “Everywhere.” 

**

“Donna!” 

She had been lounging peacefully in the library when  _ he just had to go and interrupt this part of the book, didn’t he? _ She coughed. “Wot?”

He bounded into the library. “Your blood pressure spiked! Are you okay?” 

_ My gods. _ “You’ve got a scan on my blood pressure?!” 

He held his hands up in surrender. “It’s a safety measure! I’m trying to keep you safe!” He looked around, perplexed. “Why did your blood pressure spike?” 

Donna groaned. “I was reading before you interrupted me.” 

His brows were still knit together in confusion before she flashed him the cover briefly:  _ Wings of Desire: 10 Erotic Short Stories to keep you hot and bothered.  _

The Doctor coughed briefly before recovering and putting on the “art of seduction” face. 

She rolled her eyes. “Don’t start with me, Timeboy. Humans have needs that you don’t, and I’m being a responsible human about it.” 

He moved across the room to snuggle up next to her on the couch. “But you could have just told me you wanted help.” He murmured into her ear. 

“That’s the thing though. I most definitely don’t want help from your non-existent Martian behind.” 

He pouted. 

“Don’t give me that either! I won’t sit here and inflate your ego and play into whatever game it is you’re trying to play!” 

He at least had the decency to blush. “I’m sorry. If I’ve made you genuinely uncomfortable, or invaded your personal space, or anything like that. Was just being cheeky.” 

Her shoulders relaxed a bit. “Didn’t mean to shout. Just got nervous. It’s not like you’re an eyesore or anything, just...I’m not ready for funny business right now. With anyone, really.” She began to sniffle quietly, and he immediately began to rub soothing circles on her back. 

“Donna! I mean...I’m sorry. I’m so so sorry. I had no idea. I never would have wanted to invade your comfort zone or...cause you emotional harm, or anything like that. I’m so sorry.” He made a motion to wrap his arms around her before he stopped short. “Can I hug you?” 

She wiped at her eyes. “Sure. I guess I’d like that.” 

She nestled her head against his chest as he leaned back into the couch, and he desperately tried to dampen his touch telepathy. The violations that ran through Donna’s mind filled him with an unquenchable rage and desire to do harm to the man who had hurt her, but he tried to channel his anger into comforting Donna. Rubbing her shoulders made them more tense and the light in her mind seemed to flicker, so he switched to scratching her head. That didn’t seem to have the desired effect either, so he rested his forehead against her temple and breathed deeply as he began to scratch between her shoulder blades. Her felt the tension leave her and saw the light in her mind grow brighter. “I’m so sorry Donna,” he repeated again, like a mantra, until she stopped him. 

“It’s okay, Doctor. I promise. I know you won’t ever hurt me.” He could feel the truth behind her admission, and it made his hearts soar and clench at the same time. 


	3. 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor realizes his mistake(s)

She ended up falling asleep there, in his arms. When he was sure that she was sleeping deeply enough to not be startled, he stood up and carried her to the nearest bedroom. The TARDIS opened the door and dimmed the lights automatically, given that his hands were full.  _ Thanks, dear. _ He offered silently. 

He placed her in bed, covered her with a duvet, and quickly planted some pleasant dreams in her mind before shutting the door quietly on his way out.  _ She trusts me. Why do they always trust me? _

**

She slept late the following morning (or rather, longer than her usual eight hours) and she wandered into the kitchen in a fuzzy robe. 

“I probably won’t ever be able to find that bedroom again, but remind me to thank your ship for it. I woke up and she had laid out this robe and prepared a hot bath with candles, fancy soaps, the works!” She smiled, the corners only somewhat strained. 

He chuckled quietly. “She just knows how to treat a lady, is all.” He tried not to stare, he really did, but what with her hair all mussed up, cheeks rosy, and smelling amazing, it was hard not to. She was simply radiant.  _ Stop staring. She’s going to notice. _

She blushed. “Do you really have to stare?” 

He shook his head briefly, quip coming to rest on his tongue, before reconsidering. “You’re just, um…”

She looked concerned. “Have I got something on my face?” 

“No! Nothing like that. You’re just incredibly beautiful, okay?” His voice cracked a little bit and she blushed more. 

“We said no funny business.” 

“This isn’t funny business!” He said earnestly. “I mean it. No ulterior motives, games, nothing of the sort. You’re just…” he stammered a bit “magnificent, okay? I wasn’t gonna say it because I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable, but you caught me.” 

She was suddenly in his arms embracing him fiercely, face muffled into his shirt so he couldn’t hear what she said. He hugged her back, gently at first, but tighter when he realized she hadn’t let go yet. 

**

Barely a week had passed before Donna was returning his banter with her normal tenacity. She managed to even get a few steps ahead of him on the last adventure, pointing out the fatal flaw in the ship before he noticed it and nearly finishing his technobabble sentences. She was his first companion in a long time who could rival him slightly, always willing to take whatever verbal onslaught she gave him, and he drank it in. He thought that post-bathe Donna was the most radiant creature to grace his TARDIS, but seeing her race him back to the TARDIS to outrun whatever outer-space police they had angered that particular day, red hair flying back, blush on her cheeks, chest heaving, smile stretched a mile wide with the challenge…

What was the human word for it in this century? “Catching feelings” or something of the sort? 

They shut the doors to the TARDIS and he ran to the console to pilot them out of here, breathing hard, when he felt a giggle from his ship. 

_ No, I’m not in love with her. Shut up. _


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> does it receive the rating for this chapter? Decisions decisions

After having plenty of time to shower and unwind, Donna padded out into the console room in the same fuzzy robe. “You’re enjoying that.” 

She smiled shyly. “You obviously have no idea how bloody comfortable it is.” 

She sat down in the pilot’s seat and crossed her legs. “Doctor.” She stated plainly. 

He looked up from his tinkering at the console. “Yeh Donna?” 

She cleared her throat. “Fancy a shag?” 

He choked. “Wot?!” 

She giggled. “Sorry, guess I shouldn’t have led with that.” 

He quickly sat next to her on the jumpseat and grasped her hands as he held intense eye contact. “What are you on about? Are you okay?” 

“Me? Fine, always fine. Well, not exactly. But you know what I mean.” She took a deep breath before continuing. “Well, you know how past trauma has made me avoid funny business?” 

His brows quirked. “Yes, but that’s totally valid and normal. Nothing to be worried or ashamed of.” 

“Well yeh, I know, but thing is, I kind of hate it. Feels like I’m letting fear rule my life or something. It’s not fair that all other adults get to engage in whatever recreation they want when I can’t because some bloke decided to do a terrible thing, eh? I don’t want to carry around this, intimacy anxiety, I guess, anymore. But my normal fear response is to jump in with both feet, and it’s hard to find a willing party who I’m adequately comfortable with, etc…” She trailed off and looked at him, suddenly embarrassed. 

He tried to put on a professional sort of face before she stopped him. 

“I know I’ve already made this weird, but I don’t want to go home, okay? If I just crossed some kind of timelord line will you just pat my head and tell me ‘thanks but no thanks’ or something? I’m sorry if I’m way off base or something.” She attempted to get up but he held her fast. 

He smirked before speaking. “First of all, don’t tell me that you can’t find a  _ willing party _ . Have you seen yourself? You’re a proper goddess.” 

She tried to cut him off. 

“Nah, don’t play the self-deprecation game with me. I’m the last of the timelords. I’m super smart and I don’t lie to my friends.  _ You’re bloody gorgeous _ .” 

She offered a small smile. 

“Second of all, I don’t think you’re way off base. Sure, that’s not the fear-conquering method most would adopt, but you’re not like most people. However, if you’re not entirely on board with this, we can discuss other options. I know some of the galaxy’s best therapists. Some of these therapy techniques won’t make it to Earth until the next millennium, so you might find yourself pleasantly surprised.” 

When her face fell he hurried to correct himself. “This isn’t to say that I  _ won’t _ shag you, but that this isn’t the only thing you can do to conquer your fear. Don’t ask to shag me as a last resort, or because I tried to mess with you before.” 

His shoulders were tense as he awaited a response. She leaned back, seemed to consider this, and smirked. 

“You’ll still respect me in the morning, yeah?” They shared a laugh, the first proper laugh in what felt like forever. 

“Thanks for listening at least, Spaceman.” She kissed his cheek. “Maybe we can revisit this in a bit. When I’ve had a few sleeps.” 

She got up to head to bed. “Gnite, Donna.” 

“Night, Doctor.” She turned to offer one last smile before leaving the console room. He continued to sit on the jumpseat, staring languidly after her with a dopey grin on his face. The TARDIS giggled quietly. 

“Shut up! No I’m not!” He stomped his foot like a child throwing a tantrum. 

“You alright, Doctor?” She called from down the hall. 

He quickly ran a hand through his hair before realizing what he was doing and shoving his hand in his pocket. “Yeah, m’good. Just  _ discussing _ something with my  _ ship _ , is all.” He grit his teeth as he glared skyward. 

“Well keep it down! I wanna sleep!” 


	5. Chapter 5

They sat on the jump seat together once again, resolve steeled. He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear gingerly. She tried to contain her eye roll. 

“Don’t become the hero of a bloody rom-com right now.” 

“I’m just being polite is all.” He smirked, before shushing her with his mouth. As they began to kiss he put a hand on the small of her back and she stiffened. “Shhh, Donna. It’s okay. It’s just me.” 

She tried to calm her racing heart to no avail. 

“We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.” 

“No, I won’t ever find someone I’m this comfortable with ever again probably. I want to.” She leaned forward to kiss him again but he was so caught off guard by her admission that the silent  _ I love you _ slipped through from his mind to hers. 

She drew back suddenly. “Did you just talk to me? In my  _ head _ ?”

His eyes seemed to bug out from his head before answering. “I know you said to not go in your head without permission and I really didn’t mean to I promise I just kind of slipped because we were connected and --” 

“Do you love me?” 

He didn’t answer. 

“Like, just-mates sort of love me, or proper-mates sort of love me?” 

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Does ‘both’ count as an acceptable answer?” 

When she did nothing but stare at him, jaw agape, he plowed forward. 

“Why are you surprised? We’ve traveled the stars! You’re my best friend! You’re drop-dead sexy! You make me the best version of me and I wouldn’t give up what we have for anything. So if it makes you uncomfortable knowing, I can take it out of your head if you want, but it’s by no means a lie. I love you, Donna Noble, through and through. And I’ve lived for quite a while, and I hope to spend a good many more few years watching you change the universe.” 

She closed her mouth but didn’t say anything. 

“Please don’t make me take you home. Please. Please. I’m sorry. Please --” 

“Oi, cut it out!” She put a finger to his lips. “I love you too. But not like wedding material or nothing like that. I’d be a wretched wife.”

He tried to disagree but she hadn’t moved her finger. 

“I love you. Think I have for a while now, actually. But I love you like a...platonic, life partner? That’s not quite right, but point is, I don’t want any romance crap. We could shag, but now it’s gonna feel weird since I know you’re in love with me. I don’t wanna get your hopes up or anything.” 

He whined. A pathetic, adorable noise. 

“Don’t tell me you wanted to shag me that badly.” 

He finally managed to speak. “After ‘I love you’ and ‘you’re dead sexy’ you still don’t get it?” 

“Well I don’t know! I thought you said time lords were asexual or something. I figured asexual aliens could still appreciate beautiful things without wanting to shag them” she huffed. 

He chuckled. “My lot were pretty stuffy, yeah, but I was never a proper timelord, see.” 

She raised an eyebrow. 

He sighed. “Yes, Donna Noble, I want to shag you. Yes, I am hopelessly infatuated with you. Yes, I love you. We don’t have to get married, and we don’t have to be...what’s the earth word for it, ‘friends with benefits’? I won’t buy you chocolate or anything of the sort if you don’t want me to. I want to do whatever it is that will make you happy and comfortable and willing to spend as much time as possible on this blasted ship with this blasted timelord.” 

The TARDIS buzzed. 

“He didn’t mean it, love,” Donna quickly added. 

“Donna!” He stared at her, warm brown eyes going all gooey. “Please.” 

She looked at the ceiling. The TARDIS hummed cheerfully. “Yeah, I know love. I know. He’s our crazy lil boy, isn’t he?” 

The Doctor quirked his head at this exchange. “Can you hear her?” 

Donna shrugged. “A bit. It’s not exactly words though, it’s more like, a second instinct. Polite nudges. She was apologizing for your neediness, I think.” 

“Oi!” 

The TARDIS seemed to chuckle. 

“Tell you what, Time Boy. Do you think you could shag all of the goofy stares and poetic musings out of your system if I let you?” 

He grinned. “Absolutely no chance.” 

She sighed. “Ah well. Never let it be said that I didn’t try.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wanted to get to the smut here, but it just never seems to land right. I'm thinking about ending the fic at this chapter, just because I haven't been satisfied *chuckles* with the sex lead-up. Thoughts? Is this a proper ending, or do we need a chapter 6 shag-fest? Or should this whole thing be trashed?


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Donna finally gets her shag.

Though they parted amicably, Donna didn’t bring up previous events for the next week or so, and it was driving the Doctor  _ crazy.  _

_ Did she mean it?  _

_ Did she forget? _

_ Did she change her mind?  _

_ Do I ask and make things awkward? Do I attempt to seduce her in a more classical fashion and make things even more awkward? _

It wasn’t until he kissed her cheek absently before she padded off to bed that their tension registered. 

He hadn’t meant for it to be a  _ come to bed with me _ sort of kiss, more of a  _ I’m glad you’re alive and that you are my friend  _ sort of kiss, but he wasn’t complaining with where it had got him. 

She stopped in her tracks in the console room, the Doctor already engrossed in another lever when she turned to him and said “Do that again” so quietly he wasn’t sure he heard her right. 

“I’m sorry, wot?”

She flushed. “Do that again, you prawn.” 

A flash of realization hit his features. “Oh! That.” He leaned back from the console and lazily strolled over to her and cupped her face. He took his time leaning down and inhaling her neck, but only pecked her cheek. “Like that?” He smirked. 

She wrinkled her nose. “Sure.” 

He raised an eyebrow, faux-pondering. “Oh? Not to your liking?” He smelled her neck again, but exhaled hot air over her ears and began to suck on her jawline. It wasn’t until he mumbled something against her pulse point and made her squeak that she realized he had asked a question. 

“There’s always room for improvement, even among the last of the Time-Lords,” she said, trying to not sound out of breath. 

He chuckled, low and throaty, directly into the junction between neck and shoulder. “Of course, Donna Noble.” 

He continued to lick and suck all up and down her neck, beneath her chin, around her ears, and across her collarbones. When she began to sag into his arms he scooped her up and whispered “Let’s go someplace more comfortable” into her ear hotly. She sighed, a little louder than intended, but allowed him to carry her off to a bed somewhere. 

She wasn’t sure which room they had stopped in, but it was a room with a bed. She would have tried to take in more of her surroundings if she hadn’t been taken by surprise: for as soon as her back hit the bed the Doctor was scrambling to peel off her trousers. 

She tried to muffle her noise of surprise, for this wasn’t  _ unwanted,  _ it was just a bit different from the slow and sensual Doctor from the console room. 

“I’m sorry Donna” He mumbled into her thigh. He sounded out of breath too. “I just needed to get to you.” Without further preamble he pulled down her knickers and inhaled her core as he licked a slow line over her center. 

She gasped. 

He exhaled over her cunt. “Rassilon, you smell gorgeous. And taste amazing.” He had the sudden decency to blush. “Can I? That is, can I bring you pleasure with my mouth? And perhaps my fingers too?” 

She giggled. 

“And my dick?” He added pleadingly. 

She kissed him breathlessly. “Please, get on with it.” 

He kissed her neck as he rutted up against her thigh, still completely clothed. She struggled at his buttons. 

“No!” He growled suddenly. “I’m busy.” He hooked her leg over his shoulder and nosed between her folds once again. “I want to do this first.” 

A shiver crept up her spine as she thanked the gods she didn’t have to wait any longer. 

He gave her no rest before his tongue and fingers began to work her sex, tirelessly flicking and sucking as she continued to shake. It was somewhere around orgasm #3 that she was cognizant enough to recognize that she had been shamelessly humping his face, and she tried to scramble away in embarrassment. 

He clutched her hips closer. “I think I can squeeze one more out of you.” He kissed her inner thigh. “Besides, you just taste so good I don’t want to be done yet.” 

She came down from her immense high cuddled into his naked chest, immediately aware of his erection pressing into her hip. She tried to sit up but her breath still came out rattling. 

“Are you alright?” He murmured into her ear. 

“Bloody marvelous” She sighed. “But why aren’t you shagging me yet?” 

He huffed in frustration. “I was just trying to let you catch your breath! It looked like you had left this plane of existence briefly.” He managed to look very smug while she blushed, but she recovered quickly. 

“I’m not gonna break.” 

He could hardly contain his excitement as he slid into her completely in one go, but then 

quickly shut his eyes as he attempted to use his powers of Time Lord Focus™ to  _ not _ cum right there. 

“Oh, Spaceman,” Donna groaned, and he was done, cumming into her in wild spurts of energy, panting into her ear. 

He took a second to catch his breath before sitting up, face rose-red as Donna tried  _ very  _ hard not to laugh. 

“It’s been a while.” He muttered. 

She blushed. 

“And you’re really pretty.” He trailed off as she let out the guffaw she had been holding. 

“There there” she faux-soothed as she found herself winding her fingers through his hair. “I had a few, you had...one. Life is good, wham-bam-thank-you-mam, indeed?” 

“Of course not.” He sat up to look her in the eye. “First of all, you deserve the absolute 

best. Second of all, I was really hoping you were a wham-bam-thank-you-mam-and-please-come-again sort of situation.” 

Donna raised an eyebrow.

“Come on! You think that I can give you up, now that I’ve had you once?” He pressed his body along hers, still warm with exertion. “You think I can pass up an opportunity to see what other sorts of noises you can make?” He purred into her ear. 

She didn’t try to hide her sigh. “I reckon I could be convinced.” 

He kissed her ear as his mind brushed against hers.  _ I still love you. I might love you even more, if that was even possible.  _

_Oh, I know._ She giggled back. _I love you too, great-big-outer-space-dunce._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quarantine got me like "gotta finish that unfinished stuff on AO3!" but it may have gotten a *lil* cracky because I'm out of practice. As always, lend me your eyes and opinions if you can. <3


End file.
